This month, nearly 2,000 people have signed on for the Kitchen Cure, a back-to-basics process that's focused on making your kitchen cleaner, healthier, and more organized. As the Cure gathers steam, we thought we'd use this store guide to hone in on kitchen essentials (no gadgets here!) and where to buy them.

Amazon.com (Online): Amazon might not be as tangible as the mom n' pop shop on the corner, but their huge warehouses stock most mainstream kitchen brands, from All Clad to Zak Designs. You can find good deals that are sometimes a little less than brick-and-mortar stores.

Restaurant Supply Stores (Online and Offline): These are good places to shop for pots, pans, basic tools, cutlery and dishes. Many of them offer pretty much everything you'd need to outfit an entire kitchen. The key is to come prepared. Bring a list and don't allow yourself to be seduced by the racks of shiny knives and saucepans. For a pared-down guide to restaurant supply stores, click here.

Crate & Barrel and C&B Outlet (Various Locations/Online): Their stores are accessible, affordable, and they stock a lot of mid-range basics, which is why they're a leader when it comes to wedding registries. We've shopped there for dish racks, cookware starter sets, and small appliances.

SimpleHuman (Various Locations/Online): Their products are a little more expensive than you might pay elsewhere, but we really like the dish racks, which come with modular parts and 5-year warranties. You can buy them online or at dealer stores, like Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Whole Foods (Various Locations): We've found some useful kitchen tools while shopping the grocery aisles at Whole Foods, and the prices on cookware aren't as high as you might expect. We've bought colanders, sponges, and scrub-brushes there and we've been pretty happy with them.